Losing Ike
by Sugary Snicket
Summary: An account of Ike's death and a followup on how exactly Aunt Josephine got so afraid of everything. Oneshot


_Hey, y'all, new one-shot for you from the chick who brought you "Paranormal Events" and "No Way Out"! Welcome to "Losing Ike", a one-shot about Poor Ike Anwhistle's fate. One night I was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, and wondering to myself, "What really happened to Ike to make Aunt josephine so frightened of everything?" Of course, it has been documented that people who develop phobias can spiral into other fears as well, including the outdoors itself, everything, Friday the Thriteenth, computers, and... realators. CoughAuntJosephineCough So, let's see what could have cause Ike to go swimming 45 minutes after he ate, shall we?

* * *

_

It was a cool, dreary day on the shores of Lake Lachrymose. Not a single bather was swimming in the murkey water. And only two lone figures walked upon the rocky beach, holding hands and laughing. It seemed like the perfect day for a relaxing lunch, but no one could have predicted the unspeakable tragedy that occurred that chilly October morning.

Josephine Anwhistle and her husband, Ike, strode along the water's edge at a leisurely pace, enjoying the calming sounds of waves lapping at the shore and seagulls crying, and discussing the terrible fire that had occurred a few weeks ago in the town just across the lake from theirs. "Those poor children," she said, shaking her head in dismay. "I do hope that they're doing well."

"Perhaps we could take them in if their current home doesn't work out," Ike commented. "We both like children, even though we've been too scared to have any." He paused, laied out the picnic blanket, and sat down. Josephine followed suit.

"I certainly hope that everything works out for them," she said, unpacking the picnic basket she had been carrying. "Would you care for a turkey sandwich?"

The two continued to talk and eat their sandwiches, now and then pausing to comment on how there seemed to be no sign of the dreaded Lachrymose Leeches, even though a warning had been issued for them, and how unnaturally placid the lake's surface was. Forty-five minutes later, Ike announced that he was going to take a swim.

"Ike, no! They've issued a warning, and you know that you're supposed to wait an hour after you eat first!" Josephine begged. "Please, just wait five more minutes, that's all I ask!"

"Josie, I'll be fine," Ike replied, using his favorite pet name for his wife. "Another five minutes isn't going to make any differance." With that, Josephine watched in horror as Ike ran into the water, and a few seconds later, began treading it. Soon enough, however, Ike felt something smooth and slick brush against his hand. Confused, he managed to catch the creature. Lifting his hand out of the water, he glanced at the thing and gaped in shock.

He was holding a leech.

The leech writhed in his hand for a few moments, then stopped and appeared to sniff the air before chomping down feircely on his hand, taking out a good-sized chunk. "Ouch!" he yelped, dropping it.

He soon started feeling sharp pains all over, and he looked down to find the water swarming with leeches. Ike frantically tried to signal Josephine, but to no avail.

Josephine herself was horrified by the entire scene. She wept bitterly and began to run as far and fast as she could, trying not to hear Ike's shrieks of pain and fear. All was truely lost now.

Soon no sound came from the water. "I told you to wait five more minutes..."

* * *

Reports of the attacks were all over the news that night, but Josephine was too sickened and horrified to read the newspaper or to watch T.V. She got calls from numerous realators wanting to buy her house, but she turned them down, soon becoming terrified of both them AND the phone. She slowly felt herself spiral into absolute terror, but there was absolutely nothing that she could do about it.

About a week lter, she was visited by a Mr. Poe concerning three orphans who had recently lost their home. Josephine accepted the offer, hoping to keep them safe, and to fulfill Ike's last wish. Unfortunately, as she would find out soon enough, taking care of the three orphans would lead to yet another leech encounter, another Anwhistle death, and yet another series of unfortunate events.

* * *

_Yeah, short, I know, but hey, one-shots ARE short. That's what makes them one-shots. They're also more difficult to do, because the action has to rise, meet the climax, and fall quicker that a story with chapters. Anyhoo, I don't suppose I HAVE to explain that to you! Please review, and please do it kindly, if you don't mind._


End file.
